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HRC Dinner Boycott Threatens
to Cut Last Year's $90,000 Gross;
Ambush, GAA, KCQ's Endorse Boycott
By Rip & Marsha Naquin-Delain Ambush Magazine
March 6, 1998
Human Rights Campaign's [HRC] non-inclusion of bisexuals and
transgenders in its mission statement has led to a full-scale boycott of
this year's New Orleans dinner weekend in May. This action threatens to
cut last year's $90,000 gross. The New Orleans HRC Dinner Committee
reportedly sent a net of $60,000 to the national HRC organization in
1997.
Hints of a boycott, at 97's dinner, were put on hold, in hopes that HRC
would reconsider its stance on transgenders. This did not transpire.
The Board of Directors and membership of Gulf Gender Alliance voted to
initiate a boycott in January. "The boycott is being called because of
HRC's non inclusion of bisexual and transgender people in their mission
statement and language."
According to the HRC web site @ www.hrc.org, "The Human Rights Campaign
envisions an America where lesbian and gay people are ensured of their
basic equal rights - and can be open, honest and safe at home, at work,
and in the community."
Ambush wholeheartedly supports and endorses the boycott. Individuals,
businesses and organizations are urged to join the boycott, by not
purchasing tickets to the New Orleans dinner weekend, or donating items
to the auction, or advertising in the dinner program.
In addition, HRC can be contacted directly to voice support of the
boycott. Write HRC, 1101 14th St., NW, Washington, DC 20005; E-mail
hrc@hrc.org, call 202.628.4160, or fax 202.347.5323.
Four prior HRC award winners including Stewart Butler, Jim Kellogg,
Charlene Schneider and Skip Ward are in support of the boycott. HRC
dinner committee members Toni Pizanie and Rick Cosgriff resigned from
this year's committee in support of the boycott.
The Board of Directors of the Gay Appreciation Awards including
President Sonny Cleveland, Vice President Toni Pizanie, Lisa Beaumann,
Teryl-Lynn Foxx, Mickey Gil and Rip & Marsha Naquin-Delain, unanimously
voted in favor of the boycott.
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